Republicans – Attack of the Cavaliers.

(ThyBlackMan.com) Certain people are sure to be angered by this Op-Ed piece. So let’s begin. My Republican brothers and sisters are extremely passionate about their pro-life beliefs. I do not question the depth of their conviction. I do not question their methodology. Today’s column isn’t at all about how American conservatives feel about the highly polarizing issue of abortion. I’ll repeat that. This column has nothing to do about how American conservatives feel about the highly polarizing issue of abortion. It has everything to do with how conservatives feel about everything else. I’m curious how it is the Grand Old Party is so incredibly passionate about one issue in America – and so incredibly passive about so many burning issues in America at the same time. Why so cavalier, GOP?

The word cavalier is an adjective. It is defined as “showing a lack of proper concern.” Summarily, the word cavaliers is a noun; defined as “people who individually and/or collectively show a lack of proper concern.” When I use the word Cavaliers, I’m not referring to the NBA’s franchise in Cleveland or the NCAA’s University of Virginia. I’m not referring to the now-discontinued economic car Chevrolet used to build in the 1980s and 1990s. Here’s looking at you, GOP. Good morning.

With all due respect, why can’t you have a pro-life position on America’s decrepit infrastructure? Everyone loves good roads, right? Ensuring that 60, 70, and 80-year old bridges have renewed structural integrity isn’t political – it’s the application of common sense. Atlanta – our state capitol – is sitting on top of a vast network of sewage pipes and water mains which are at least 100 years old. It must be dealt with. It will cost billions of dollars. However, if it had been addressed in 1974 as opposed to 2014, it would have cost far less.

This is the true price of kicking political issues down the road for someone else to deal with. Someday, somebody will have to pay the piper. That price will surely be steep, too. If a bridge is in danger of collapse, Republican lives, Democratic lives, and Independent lives are all in jeopardy. The modern U.S. interstate system was ushered in by President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s. I would think that the Republican Party might have interest in paying homage to a lasting legacy of one of their own Presidents. Alas, this is not the case. Today’s GOP leaders sing in unison whenever infrastructure comes up: “1-2-3, we can’t afford that.” Cavaliers.

Is there any room among conservatives for a pro-life stance on immigration reform? The vast majority of the children at our U.S. Border Patrol detention centers are refugees – not economic migrants. What’s the difference? I’m glad you asked. Economic migrants are citizens of one country who decide to relocate to another country because they believe the conditions exist for a better life economically in the second country. Refugees are people who need a new home in another country because they are at risk of being killed or imprisoned without due process in their native land. The children coming here from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and elsewhere in Latin America are beaten, raped, murdered, and threatened on a daily basis by narco-terrorists, corrupt police officers, and powerless political leaders. Some on the right have already passed judgment on these children – branding the victims as villains. Conservative talking heads have labeled them as gang members, potential terrorists, and opportunists. Pro-lifers want these children to live – just someplace else, right? Cavaliers.

Is there any margin for a pro-life viewpoint on voters’ rights here in America? One man, one vote. One woman, one vote. One young person (at least 18 years of age), one vote. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. That’s the way our Founding Fathers intended it. And yet, which political party is vehemently opposed to this being the case? You guessed it: The Grand Old Party. This isn’t supposed to be political or racial or complicated. Somehow, it became all of the above. Members of Congress know this is a problem which demands action. They were charged by the U.S. Supreme Court to fix this legislatively 13 months ago. Since then, they haven’t done anything to ensure voter rights in America. This do-nothing Congress can’t even talk about it, let alone do anything constructive. As long as the voting rights of the Republican base remain safe and sound, non-Republicans are on their own. So cavalier.

The Cavaliers relentlessly advocate for lax gun laws and more wars – political conundrums which jeopardize human lives. Cavaliers steadfastly reject Medicaid expansion and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) – both of which are proven to extend life. Cavaliers refuse to raise the U.S. minimum wage. Why?

I thought pro-life meant anti-death. Clearly, it doesn’t. How about that, Cavaliers? Care to explain?

Staff Writer; Arthur L. Jones, III

This talented brother is a local Minister, weekly featured Democratic Op-Edcolumnist, non-profit advisor, and sees the Braves winning it all this fall. Rev. Jones welcomes your comments! Please email him directly at: tcdppress@gmail.com.